Universalization of Elementary Education in India

• Universalisation of elementary education means universal access, enrolment, retention, and

qualitative education up to the age of 14. Elementary education has become a justifiable
Fundamental Right. The provisions contained in the Constitution of India, insists on providing
elementary education to all children.
• Especially, elementary education is the most crucial stage of education as it the foundation of a
child’s formal education and plays a pivotal role in personal, social and national development.
• The basic skills of reading, writing and arithmetic are acquired at this stage. It also lays
foundation for the personality, attitude, learning skills and communicative capabilities of pupils.
• Today, life is education and education is life.
• Education is a basic human right and has been recognized since the adaptation of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
• On 26th January 1950 when Indian Constitution came in force, it had in its Article 45 a directive
principle promising free and compulsory education for all children until they complete the age
of 14 years.
• This was to be attained within 10 years. But the state could not do so for next 5 decades.
• The Indian State adopted the Eighty Six Amendment Act, 2002 to the Constitution, thereby
conferring on education the status of a fundamental right
• Through 86th Constitutional Amendment, Article 21- a (part III) was inserted in the fundamental
right section of constitution under which, “The State shall provide free and compulsory
education to all children of the age of 6 to 14 years in such manner as the state may, by law,
determine.
• Universalization of Elementary Education (U.E.E.) is an educational term refers to make
education available to all children in the age of group of 6-14 or in class I-VII.
• It means the education for every child to complete the stage of Elementary or Primary
education either formal or non-formal means of education.
• Here all children covered the children of every community castes, creed, religions, handicapped,
orphans or destitute and disadvantaged groups.
•
• The 8th Five Year Plan envisaged Universalization of Elementary Education (UEE) to mean
Universalizing access, universal retention and universal achievement.
• The 10th Five Year Plan laid emphasis on Universalization of education implies five things namely,
universalization of provision, universalization of enrolment, universalization of retention universalization
of participation and universalization of achievement.
1. Universalization of Provision: This implies that adequate school facilities should be provide to all
children between age group 6 to 14 in the country It means that primary schools should be set up within 1
km from the habitation of the child. It needs to open a large number of schools throughout the country.
2. Universalization of Enrolment: After making provision for children, next thing is to see how to
enroll all the students in primary schools who attain educable age. The Government has decided to enroll
all children of the age group 6-14 in primary schools.
 • All adequate and fruitful steps are being launched to bring all children from every nook and corner
of country to the arena of school.
• The New Education Policy, 1986 assures to enroll all children up to age level 14 and achievement
of UEE through Education for All.
3. Universalization of Retention:
• Simply enrolling of children in school will not suffice in the way of universalization.
• The success of it lies then the enrolled 32 of Education and School Organization children remain in
school stage till the completion of school study.
• But if the child leaves education before completion, the idea of universalization of primary education
cannot be successful.
4. Universalization of Participation:
• For UEE (Universalization of Elementary Education) participation of community is quite inevitable.
• The community is to be mobilized to take the responsibility for identifying its own needs and to take
decisive role in ensuring the implementation programme of UEE.
• For better and effective participation of educational administrative personnel educational
administration needs decentralization.
• As a result, the administrative people related to primary education will be accountable to the local
community and in turn, community will extend its helping hand for UEE through both formal and non-
formal programmes.
5. Universalization of Achievement:
• For success of UEE achievement of learners is to be ascertained.
• The strategy is to lay down learning outcomes from learners at the elementary level.
• The outcome of the education is to be based of minimum level of learning (MLL) common to both
formal and non-formal programme.
• For assessing achievement of MLL, continuous comprehensive evaluation of students learning is to be
emphasized.
• This will help to achieve UEE through Education for all (EFA) by 2015 AD.
• Efforts made by center and state governments:
1. All India Council for Elementary Education (AICE) 1957
2. Primary Education Acts
❖ MP PEA 1950
❖ HP PEA 1953
❖ Punjab PEA 1960
3. Kothari commission 1964: Lower and Upper Primary
4. National Policy on Education 1986
❖ Accepted UEE as national goal
❖ Facilities, quality, trained teacher, text books, provisions to remove inequalities of
caste etc.
5. Lok Jumbish Programme 1992 : Started in Rajsthan
6. District Primary Education Programme (DPEP) 1994
❖ Started for backward districts
❖ Opening of new schools
 ❖ Operation Black-board
❖ Mass appointment of teachers
7. National Programme of Nutrition Support to Primary Education:
❖ Started in 15 August 1995
❖ Also known as Mid-day Meal scheme
8. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)
❖ Approved in November 2000
❖ Enforcement In January 2001

SARVA SHIKSHA ABHIYAN (SSA)

• Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) is the comprehensive and integrated programme of Government of
India, to attain Universal Elementary Education (UEE) in the country which is implemented in
January 2001.
• Launched in partnership with the State governments and local self-government, SSA aims to
provide useful and relevant education to all children in the 6-14 age groups by 2010
• SSA is an initiative to universalize quality elementary education in a mission mode through
district based, decentralized, context specific planning and implementation strategies.
• It is a significant attempt to bridge social and gender gaps, with the active participation of the
community in all aspects of planning and delivery of elementary education programmes.
Objectives of SSA
• SSA was launched in 2001 with the objectives of
a. all children in school, Education Guarantee Centre, Alternative, ‘Back-to-School’ camp by 2003
b. all children complete five years of primary schooling by 2007
c. all children complete eight years of elementary schooling by 2010
d. focus on elementary education of satisfactory quality with emphasis on education for life
e. bridge all gender and social category gaps at primary stage by 2007
f. universal retention by 2010
Components of SSA
• Preparatory activities for micro-planning, household surveys, studies, community mobilization,
school-based activities, office equipment, training and orientation at all level.
• Appointment of teachers.
• Opening new primary and alternative schooling facility like EGS/AIE centers (Education Gurantee
Scheme and Alternative and Innovative Education)
• Opening of Upper primary schools
• Constructing additional classrooms, schools and other facilities
• Free textbook to all girls/SC/ST children
• Maintenance and repair of school buildings
• Teaching learning Equipment for primary schools on up-gradation of EGS to regular schools or
setting up of a new primary school.
Contribution of SSA to UEE
• Easy access to Elementary Education
• Improvement in Physical Facilities in the schools
• Rapid increase in enrolment
• Retention of students
• Literacy rate increased up to age of 14 years
• Quality education
• Helpful for the weaker section of society
• Availability of teachers and their professional growth